Government has ‘no current plans’ to follow Spanish outdoor smoking ban

The Government has no plans to follow the lead of the Spanish regions in banning smoking outdoors in public where social distancing cannot be guaranteed.

Spain’s north-west region of Galicia and its Canary Islands on Thursday became the first to ban smoking in outdoors public spaces where social distancing of two metres could not be guaranteed.

On Friday it also seemed only a matter of time before smokers on the Costa Blanca were facing fines for lighting up on the street. Regional health minister Ana Barcelo said her department, which covers the autonomous Valencian Community which includes the province of Alicante and popular resorts like Benidorm, was looking at the possibility of following in the footsteps of Galicia.

The ban covers electronic and traditional cigarettes and is being applied in the street as well as other public spaces including cafe terraces.

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It has been justified as a measure designed to halt the spread of Covid-19, on the basis that smokers can infect others when they blow out their smoke and the habit involves repeated mouth and finger contact.

Canary Islands president Angel Victor Torres announced his region’s identical smoking ban on Thursday. He also introduced tougher face mask rules and said said his government was acting against discos. Dancing will be banned this weekend throughout the island, with nightspots only allowed to open terraces and serve people sitting at tables.

Andalucia’s regional government, responsible for Spain’s most populated region with nearly nine million inhabitants, has said it has asked scientific experts to report back on a possible street smoking ban.

However the Government here has said it has “no current plans” to introduce additional anti-smoking measures in response to the Covid outbreak.

In a statement, the Department of Health said the promotion of tobacco free environments using voluntary measures or by the introduction of by-laws was central to Ireland’s tobacco control policy.

The statement added that the current guidance in relation to Covid-19 was for social distancing and “everyone is urged to exercise their own judgment and take personal responsibility for protecting themselves and others”.

“Although there are currently no plans to introduce additional guidelines regarding smoking in outdoor areas, individual businesses are free to establish their own policy on this matter,” the statement said.